of Ireland, and, with a westerly breeze,
stood up Channel under all sail. We expected to put into Plymouth, and
Nettleship invited Tom and me to come and pay his mother and sister a
visit, but, to our disappointment, we found the ship passing the
Eddystone, and heard that we were to go on to Portsmouth, where the
captain had his reasons for wishing to remain, namely, that he might be
so much the nearer to London. On a fine bright morning we stood in
through the Needles, and steered for Spithead, where the fleet was lying
at anchor. We carried on in fine style as we stood up the Solent,
between the Isle of Wight and the mainland, exciting the admiration of
all beholders on shore.

"Now, my lads, let's show the admiral how smartly we can shorten sail
and bring the ship to an anchor," said the captain, who appeared in full
fig on deck.

We were all on the alert, and the moment "Away aloft!" reached our ears
we flew up the rigging. The boatswain's pipe sounded shrill, the
topsails came down smartly with a loud whirr. The ship was rounded to,
the men lay out on the yards and briskly handed the canvas, and the
anchor was let go, a short distance from the flag-ship. Directly
afterwards a signal was made for Lord Robert to go aboard her. I had
the honour of accompanying him. The boats were newly painted, the men
wearing white trousers and shirts, the oars without a speck; and in good
style we dashed alongside.

The admiral received Lord Robert on the quarter-deck, and desired to
compliment him on the splendid way in which he had brought his ship to
an anchor. Lord Robert bowed, and, with a self-satisfied smile, replied
he was glad to find that his efforts to bring his crew into a state of
good discipline met with approval, and his only regret was that, it
being peace time, he was unable to bring in a prize in tow, which, as he
pleasantly observed, he should otherwise without doubt have done.

I thought that he might possibly refer to the assistance he had received
from old Rough-and-Ready, but not a word escaped his lips to allow the
admiral to suppose that all was not due to his own admirable system. He
then hinted that the ship had been in some heavy weather, and that it
might be necessary to go into harbour, to have her damages made good.
The admiral made no objection, and we accordingly, the next morning, got
under weigh, and stood in to Portsmouth harbour, where we brought up
some distance from the dockyard.